Guild Wars 2

I run the jumping puzzle in Eternal Battlegrounds every day, and have been heavily considering investing in a mesmer so that I can give back to the guild a bit (portal-ing people up whenever I happen to be at the end).

However, I’m loathe to give up my necromancer’s beloved jumping puzzle skills- a passive 25% speed signet, and spectral walk which gives me a second try when needed at hard jumps (this is a skill that gives swiftness and allows an 8-second period during which I can return to the position of using the skill at using the time, so I can undo a missed jump).

I’m getting better at the jumping puzzle and can probably do without the safeguard of spectral walk, but I’m just not inclined to start doing the puzzle without some sort of constant speed buff- that 25% signet makes a HUGE difference. Every jump might be possible with no speed increase, but it is much easier with one.

I know the mesmer has no passive speed skill, but I thought I’d ask you resident Mesmer mains about how I should go about creating an obsidian sanctum mesmer?

Note that this mesmer would be a very low level, basically the minimum skill points hit to get the portal skill. But it would also always be up-leveled to 80 because of being in a wvwvw zone.

So, given that the low level allows for limited (minor) runes and limited traits, could I realistically create a mesmer with enough swiftness uptime to make the jumping puzzle as easy as it is on my necro? Or would I have to commit to harder jumps and slower runs to the end?

Thanks,
Achi

Use a focus for 33% swiftness for jumps that it helps with. On hard jumps you think you might miss just drop a portal, if you fall you can drop the other end of the portal and go back up for another go.

I run that puzzle in about 3-4min if I don’t run into enemies. You still have a safety net with portal. Just throw it down before larger jumps. If you fall port back up and try again if you fall again more than likely your portal is still active and you can port a second time back to the start point.

Put 20 points into Insperation to get the 20% reduced cool down for focus off hand to let you use Curtain more often. Have a Staff in your off hand to throw down Chaos storm for a chance for more swiftness (this is not something to rely on as it is random and very short lived).

You will probably be nearish or can get to lvl 39 even with just doing it for the portal. At that point runes of the centaur will give you 15% duration bonus.

In the torch area you can drop the torch and put down your curtain to get yourself swiftness for the short cut.

Also, Signet of Insperation will randomly grant you a rather long lasting swiftness as a passive once ina while.

I find that using Nullfield’s targeting reticule (not the skill itself) helps in dark areas. It’s quite large, reasonably good at lighting up the ground and can be moved around so you’ll always see where you’re going. Some weapons act as a light source but they’re usually inferior to the provided torch. Staff’s #1 attack is a light source too. Without a target, you’ll shoot it straight ahead so it can be used to for tricky jumps.

I created a mesmer too recently which is now my main. Yep porting in EBJP is one of the places where you could hang out. I recommend getting it to 80 and fully gearing, as there would be combat involved quite often. Jumps are definately slower and you need to get used to the shorter distance you can cover in your jumps. Route may also change if you had been relying on shortcuts before. Do not roll a mes just to port people as there are also many other fun aspects of the class. =)

Have a cheap armour set with 6 Superior Runes of the Centaur, which give 12secs of swiftness whenever you use a heal skill. Make sure you’re running Mirror as your healing skill since it has the lowest cooldown. You could also use the Mantra but I haven’t tried it because of the channeling which is annoying to me.

Put 20 points into Inspiration to get the reduced cooldown trait on Focus skills and you have, basically, perma swiftness.

Personally, I run 0-20-0-20-30 (a shatter build, essentially) and go into the JP, pop Focus #4 and then use Mirror for even more swiftness since swiftness from Focus #4 is buggy and doesn’t stack with swiftness from anywhere else.

Also, I’d argue it’s useful to run this build because you can use F4 (Distortion) in the dark room against the gargoyle thingies which knock you off. So dodge roll and pop F4 at the same time and you’ll never get hit.

TLDR: Focus #4 then Mirror ALWAYS and use F4 (Distortion) in the dark room against the gargoyles.

On your mainhand, wear a Fiery Dragon Sword if you played GW1. This gives you, and you alone, enough light to go through the darkness without needing any assistance.

I have 30 points in Chaos and 6 Runes of the Centaur. I always have swiftness except for the 1.25 seconds it takes me to recast my heal (Mirror … 15s cooldown).